Gasoline Shelf Life

by Bob DeP. AskBob@stretcher.com

Bob,
I understand that stored gasoline looses its octane rating over time. Will purchasing a higher-octane gasoline for storage increase the shelf life of the gasoline? If so, for how long? Since I'm not really storing gas for a long time, I don't intend to add a gas stabilizer.
Henry

Hi Henry,
It's not so much that it will lose octane rating. Instead, it will varnish, gum, and/or oxidize over time. I can tell you an old biker trick that we use when putting our rides to sleep for the winter. Simply add a double dose of STP fuel treatment (red bottle). I have been doing that for about 15 years in all my motorcycles and never have a problem in the spring when it comes time to start them up.
Good Luck!
Drive Safely!
Bob, The Auto Answer Man

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